A fixture in the Chicago jazz scene for more than fifteen years, cornetist Josh Berman stands out as one the sharpest “cats” onstage—among weightier accomplishments such as hosting the perennial Sunday night Hungry Brain series with Mike Reed, and playing alongside some of the city’s best-known musicians, like Ken Vandermark and Jason Adasiewicz. Once a punk in high school, his current classic style is inspired by artists and jazz musicians of the forties and fifties, with looks gleaned from the photos of Charles Peterson—minus the ties and stiff suits “that make everyone constantly ask if you have a court date or are on your way to a wedding.” His wardrobe consists of perfectly fitted collared shirts, sweaters, and “pants that might be called trousers,” complemented by a well-coiffed pompadour and thick horn-rimmed glasses—which you can clearly see on the cover of his latest album, “There Now,” recently released by Delmark Records.
